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Over the next 2 weeks, we'll be counting down "The 10 most memorable/forgettable moments in Phoenix history." We will be recapping 10 matches since 2001 that stand out for various reasons and live long in the memory, whether it be for happy memories or mental scars. We will start at number 10 and work down to number 1 each day, excluding Sundays.

If there's a particular match or memory you have, email it to

April 2004

Mandurah were raging favourites to win the league with all tipsters and experts, having missed out only by goal difference in 2003 on the championship. Phoenix had finished 9th in 2003. In March 2004, the then South West Regional Soccer Council pulled the pin on Phoenix, saying the council had failed to deliver, and Phoenix was not being supported and promoted as originally intended and envisiged. In effect, Phoenix were finished. Despite the players doing a pre season, it seemed there would no longer be semi professional football in the South West. However, Ivan Garic, at the time not associated with Phoenix or the council, and had in fact been in dispute with the SWRSC for the past few years intervened, and single handedly took over Phoenix operations, ensuring Phoenix's survival in at least the short term. Phoenix moved on and won all 3 pre season matches, before a confrontation with Mandurah loomed in Round 1. Phoenix scored a goal in each half through David Rodgers and Andrew Cowley to provide the first real upset of the season. The win even got a mention on the Statewide website, stating,"...the upset of the round occurred in Bunbury, where Phoenix defeated title favourites Mandurah 2-0."

SIGNIFICANCE: Where to start? Phoenix's future was still not assured at this point- Phoenix acting CEO Ivan Garic had been given five weeks to resurrect the ailing club. During the first five weeks pre-season Phoenix played 5 friendly matches, losing none of these games. Phoenix won 4 of their first 5 matches to sit top for the first time in club history, for two weeks before losing to Balcatta 3-1 away. Even though Phoenix were top of the league, the council and SWSA was still apprehensive about the clubs future, and the war raged on. Phoenix would not drop lower than 3rd on the ladder until the last game of the season, when they dropped to fourth. The SWRSC would not take back control of Phoenix until the current management took over in late 2005. Short of numbers for the reserves match, league players David Murphy and Trent Hathaway played reserves and league on the day.

MONDAY: A disastrous result against a nine man side was a sign of things to come.

COMING SOON: We count down the Top 10 goals of all time!

                                     David Rodgers & Stephen Suttie   

July 2004                  

The last game of round 1 saw Phoenix looking to consolidate 2nd spot, while Kingsway were rock bottom. The pitch is never the greatest up there but this was a truly woeful performance by Phoenix which cast serious doubts over Phoenix's credentials for the second half of the season. It was 0-0 at half time but two goals in the second half were enough to get Kingsway over the line.

SIGNIFICANCE: Not an awful lot, apart from being an awful, awful performance, carving out only 2 clear cut chances in 90mins. This is still  the only match since July 2003 where both David Rodgers and Stephen Suttie failed to score in a match. Phoenix lost next week to Mandurah but steadied thereafter to finish 4th. However, Phoenix again lost to Kingsway on the last day of the season, which cost them 3rd place. Kingsway ended up in mid table. This 2-0 loss was the kind of performance that makes you want to hide the club shirt because of the embarrassment. Intriguingly, it was not until 2005 that in all clashes against Kingsway, the club placed highest on the ladder at the time actually won.

TOMORROW: A coach under fire before the team rallies/a mention for up and coming youth  

April 2002

I think everyone has had a day where it all just goes wrong big time. This was one of those days where there was calamity after calamity. David Murphy scored an own goal from 22yards, Reece Braithwaite saved a header but rocked backwards on the dive and fell over the line, Suttie's skewed volley clearance managed to fall perfectly for their centre forward, at the penalty spot, and all of this was in the opening half hour. It was clear early this would be a bad day. A striker would be proud of Murphy's goal, but Perth actually replied with their own mess ups to score an own goal which was almost as embarrassing. Despite the above mentioned problems, Phoenix were still in the game at 4-2 down at half time, but a goal early in the second half killed the game off.

SIGNIFICANCE: Phoenix were travelling OK, sitting mid table after a tough opening few rounds, with Perth City just above them. Perth City ended in mid table, while Phoenix finished 14th of 15. It was Phoenix's 2nd own goal of the season. It was Phoenix's heaviest defeat at the time, and started a run of 3 heavy defeats, with losses of 4-1 to Dianella and 4-0 to Rockingham following this shambles. Within the next few weeks, coach Jimmy Mayers had little choice but to bring in youth players and build for the future, most notably James Bergin who has had a long career.

TOMORROW: Same venue-similar performance

June 2005

Phoenix had a stuttering start to the season, winning 3 of their opening 8 matches, before having a bye and sitting precariously in 13th before trips to Queens Park and Morley yielded 5-3 and 4-1 victories respectively, on the back of hat tricks from Murphy and Suttie, as well as newcombers Sean O'Gorman and Pat Quinn performing very well. Still, Phoenix travelled to Kingsway in 8th and Kingsway in 10th, and it was a key game with the winner set to leap into the top 7 play off spot, and the loser likely to stay entrenched in the dreaded bottom 8 where relegation loomed. Phoenix opened the score early when Suttie converted a through ball from Bergin, then O'Gorman extended the lead to 2-0 after 20mins. Kignsway got back into the match for the latter part of the half and earned a penalty, which was duly converted to have the score at 2-1 at half time and delicatly poised. What happened in the 2nd half was amazing, with the match effectively ended within 10 mins of the re start. It started straight from the kick off. Suttie to Mayers to Bergin to Quinn to Murphy and in the net for 3-1. 5mins later Hayes released Suttie for his second and Phoenix's 4th, then James Monks scored on his debut before Suttie completed his hat trick to make it 6-1.

SIGNIFICANCE: Phoenix were under pressure to stay out of relegation and this match was pivotal to their season. Phoenix were 2nd and Kingsway 15th in 2004 and collapsed to an embarrassing 2-0 loss. Suttie scored back to back hat tricks following his hat trick against Morley. It was the 3rd win in the record 6 match winning run, and Olympic Kingsway were later relegated after finishing in the bottom 3. Phoenix rose the finish 3rd going into the play offs. Monks scored on debut.

TOMORROW: One of those days where it all goes horribly wrong.

July 2005.

Regional rivals clashed on an afternoon of high drama at Mandurah that saw two goals in the first two minutes and two goals in the last two minutes, with plenty of drama in between. It was the last round before the play offs and 3rd spot was up for grabs. Phoenix had won their previous 5 matches-equalling their then club record-to climb from 12th to 3rd, and had never beaten Mandurah away. After a lengthy team talk from Coach Cairns circled around the importance of a good start, Mandurah scored after 8 seconds after a defensive catastrophe involving Andrew Cowley and Reece Braithwaite. Phoenix bit back though with Suttie equalising a minute later, and later Greg Hayes declared,"It was 1-1 and I hadn't touched the ball yet!" A classy second from Pat Quinn and another to Suttie before the break saw Phoenix well in control of the match, leading 3-1 at half time. Mandurah bit back with lots of pressure after the break, getting back to 3-2 down after 70mins and exerting serious pressure on Phoenix. Phoenix withstood however, and in the 89th minute Suttie rounded the keeper after a 1-2 with Mayers and looked to have sown the match up when he completed his hat trick. Mandurah came again though and got it back to 4-3 2 minutes later, and nearly equalised with the last kick of the match moments later.

SIGNIFICANCE: First time Phoenix had beaten Top 4 opposition away from home in history, and wrapped up 3rd spot before the play offs. Cairns' celebration of running 40yards to join the players in celebrations after Phoenix went 4-2 up was memorable, as well as fighting back after losing such an early goal. Most of all, it was a new record of 6 wins in a row, a record which still stands to this day, and will likely stand for a while longer.

MONDAY: A second half blitz on the longest road trip of all

March 2001

Phoenix conceded an early goal then hit back with goals from Savo Garic, Greg Hayes, Stephen Suttie and Elliot Gibson, before conceding a late goal to win 4-2 in their first round Boral Cup match in 2001.

SIGNIFICANCE: It was Phoenix's first ever official fixture, and it was against a side tipped to win the league, while Phoenix are widely tipped to be at the wrong end of the table. Queens Park also tried to block Phoenix's entry into the competition. Further, Phoenix reserves came from 1-0 down at the 80minute mark to win 3-1, while the youth absolutely smashed Queens Park by nearly double figures. All goals were on debut, and those who saw Hayes' snapshot from 20yards off balance with his non preferred foot saw a once in a lifetime strike. Notably, Queens Park did win the league, and Phoenix didn't beat Queens Park again until winning 2-1 in August 2004, at the Soccerdrome.

TOMORROW: The day the Phoenix coach ran onto the pitch in the 89th minute to celebrate the winning goal with the players.